Bathing Question

[Angelea]

I have a question about taking an actual bath. My legs don't work anymore and I have no core strength either. My arm strength is limited as well. My question is I want to be able to soak without my husband having to lift me into the tub. He is in way too much pain to be able to lift me at all.

I currently have Medicare and Texas Medicaid but I cannot seem to find something that will put me in the tub that Medicaid covers. Does anyone have any information on an easy way to take a bath with this limitation? The reason why I want to be able to take a bath is because I need to soak my skin. Since I am incontinent and have to wear a diaper all the time now, my skin starts to really smell even after I've been cleaned thoroughly. I want to be able to just soak in the tub to deodorize my skin.

Does anyone understand or have this problem? And does anyone have any suggestions on a way to be able to do this at little to no cost? We cannot afford to pay for anything as we have no income accept my disability and that pays our bills, barely.

[Mamabug]

I have a question about taking an actual bath. My legs don't work anymore and I have no core strength either. My arm strength is limited as well. My question is I want to be able to soak without my husband having to lift me into the tub. He is in way too much pain to be able to lift me at all.

I currently have Medicare and Texas Medicaid but I cannot seem to find something that will put me in the tub that Medicaid covers. Does anyone have any information on an easy way to take a bath with this limitation? The reason why I want to be able to take a bath is because I need to soak my skin. Since I am incontinent and have to wear a diaper all the time now, my skin starts to really smell even after I've been cleaned thoroughly. I want to be able to just soak in the tub to deodorize my skin.

Does anyone understand or have this problem? And does anyone have any suggestions on a way to be able to do this at little to no cost? We cannot afford to pay for anything as we have no income accept my disability and that pays our bills, barely.

- Multiple Sclerosis of America Association (MSAA) sometimes has resources. They might be able to help. Helpline specialists can offer encouragement to clients and their care partners to identify obstacles and discover ways to overcome them. Helpline specialists may also recommend the program(s) offered by MSAA and other resources that would be of help to the client, and assist him or her with the application process. They are available to assist individuals with MS, and the people close to them, adapt to the changes they may be experiencing as they go through a life-long process of adjustments to best suit their evolving needs.

https://mymsaa.org/msaa-help/helpline-chat/
Call (800) 532-7667, extension 154. Helpline hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, EST; with extended Wednesday hours.

- Or perhaps a sponge bath with a castile soap (natural) with a few drops of essential oil (tea tree oil and / or lavender oil would be my suggestions). Some people also suggest use of baby wipes, as they are designed for use with urine.

[Angelea]

Thank you Mamabug. I was thinking the same thing about going to MSAA for help out advice. They gave me cooling vests a long time ago. They are a wonderful source for things like this. I'll check out the link you posted, thank you!

[Mamabug]

Thank you Mamabug... I'll check out the link you posted, thank you!

You're welcome. I hope they'll be able to help.

[kmallory1]

FODAC (Friends Of Disabled Adults & Children) is a non-profit organization that provides durable medical equipment. The store that services my wheelchair donates equipment to them.

They have locations in many states, not sure about near your location.

[Angelea]

FODAC (Friends Of Disabled Adults & Children) is a non-profit organization that provides durable medical equipment. The store that services my wheelchair donates equipment to them.

They have locations in many states, not sure about near your location.

Thank you kmallory1. I will do a search on the web for them and their locations. Thanks for the link.

[oceanpride]

Also I’ve seen an advertisement on TV about a special bath tub that has a door on the side that you can open to get in and out. I don’t know how expensive it would be or even if they are any good ?

[lori]

I found a youtube video 'bathroom and hoyer lift'. Medicare will pay for a manual hoyer, but as the video shows I believe it would only work with a claw-foot tub. Maybe there would be help for home remodels.

best of luck

[lori]

ps I searched for used ceiling lift and found several on ebay for 1/10 the new price

[Angelea]

Thanks you guys for the tips. Any help and/or suggestions is greatly appreciated. I'm now doing a search for a bathtub that's lifted off of the ground and handicapped/wheelchair accessible. I found one that has a chair heigh entrancet with a drop-down wall to make it easy to get in. Very expensive tho and not Medicare approved (of course). Maybe I can find something used.